The new C70 Coupe

[Viking V40]

I got a chance to go along to my local Volvo dealers new C70 launch on Thursday evening .

It was held in a restaurant of all places so there were bites to eat and drinks available too.

The lights were dimmed and the car was shrouded behind a dry-ice mist and there was some dramatic music in the background. It's various lights were switched on then small spotlights alternatively illuminated various corners and curves of the car's bodywork, finishing with the hard-top being lowered.

The hardtop mechanism looks like an engineer's dream, if you get a chance, go and check this car out...

[Rooster]

We have a couple in at work and i must say i really do like them, there has been alot of work put into that hood.

I've also had the oppitunity to drive one and i have to say they are alot better to drive than the old one

[Dan F]

Originally Posted by Rooster

We have a couple in at work and i must say i really do like them, there has been alot of work put into that hood.

I've also had the oppitunity to drive one and i have to say they are alot better to drive than the old one

Hi.
Having been to the dealers over the weekend to check one of these out, I can only say how right I was in my assumptions.
The car *really is* just an S40 with a designer suit. That is a good thing in so far as the handling may be concerned, but *everyone* I spoke about it (staff and members of the public) to agreed it should have been called the C50.
The rear seat space is for children only unless everyone you know is less than 5'4" and the styling is wrong somehow. Either way it just doesn't give me the same 'WANT ONE' feeling I got from the original C70.
The roof is a marvel to behold and is apparently operated by cables (which I was told means fewer servos are required) and is a real joy to watch, it is very smooth and quiet. Mind you, the tech whom I was speaking to whilst there, let me in on the fact he was 'thinking ahead' maybe a few months (or hopefully years) and wondering what headaches that roof will bring with it.
A nice car to be sure, but not big enough or stylish enough to be the real successor to the 'Original and Best' C70 for me.
Dan.

[Alpha206]

Originally Posted by Dan F

The roof is a marvel to behold and is apparently operated by cables ....

Date...about 5 years from now.
Location...the Volvo C70 forum

"I was driving my 2006 C70 along and heard a sudden TWANG!

[Dan F]

Originally Posted by Graeme Catnach

Date...about 5 years from now.
Location...the Volvo C70 forum

"I was driving my 2006 C70 along and heard a sudden TWANG!

Lol.

I sincerely hope it doesn't get to that and I also hope they really did get the engineering right.
Otherwise if the roof develops problems and they are widespread, you will not be able to sell the car for love nor money in a few years.
Can't be any worse than the new Astra with a 3 piece roof mind...........

[doorman]

I've had a test drive, check out the following thread;
http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=17445
and view the pics in the Gallery.
Dave
V70 'R' AWD

[Rooster]

Thats what we said about roof, "bet there intresting when they go wrong"

Its cable and hydrolics aswell btw

[homer timpson]

Saw one yesterday in the showroom whilst waiting for our service - gorgeous looking car - but what a horrendous aerial

It absolutely looks like an afterthought in the design stages - pity really when the old style cars on the forecourt all had electric retractables as is needed on the new model.

A vandals dream - and to quote the showroom staff "it's the sort of aerial you'd expect to see on an 80's Fiesta, not a 30K peice of engineering"

Homer

Agree about the aerial; maybe Volvo are going to offer a retracting one for about £1000. Drove the so-called T5 last week; what a disappointment, only 220 BHP. It's not a real T5 at all, just the 2.5 LPT. Apart from that, I liked it & the Geartronic box seemed O.K.

[Alpha206]

I asked them about the aerial when I saw the pre-prod cars in Marlow last year (and they seemed to be expecting the question!). Apparently they wanted an aerial-free car (like the S60, V70, S40 etc) but couldn't put it in the bumper (where I think the S60's is) for a reason I forget, the rear screen wasn't possible as you lost the signal as soon as it got into the boot, and they tried the front screen but couldn't get a decent signal all the time - hence the final result. Don't know why they didn't go for an electric option, though. Let's hope this is something they keep working on because...well Homer Timpson put it perfectly.